Since June 22, oil and petrochemical industry workers from across Iran have been participating in a general strike, uniting under the banner of what they are calling the “2021 Campaign.” As part of the campaign, they have posted videos of their strikes, which include job action dates and locations, to social media. The Sina Palayesh Qeshm refinery in Tehran, Bushehr Petrochemical, Setareh Damavand Oil Holding, Arak Machinery, Shaludeh Shayan Behbahan Contractors, Mobin San’at, Aslaviyeh Phase 13, the Jasek Oil Well Project, and Kangan Phase 13 are among the companies whose workers have gone on strike.
Although state media have yet to publish any news of the strikes, ILNA, the Iranian Labour News Agency, released a report criticizing the low-wage employment contracts common in the oil industry. ISNA (Iranian Students’ News Agency), in another report that made no mention of the strikes, addressed various problems workers face in the current contracting system. The strikes, now a week old, continue.